Out with the Old, In with the New

Blog header, that is. I kept the same design, but refreshed the images. Here are the two versions:

2012 Blog Header

2013 Blog Header

What's most amazing here is how much my kids have changed in a year, especially Sadie!

In other news, I have a layout up today on the Pebbles blog as part of today's Sketchy Thursday feature:

We have four more days of vacation left here - it's been a long one and the kids and I have been very appreciative of the time off! Looking forward to going back to school/work next week and to "armchair attending" the winter CHA trade show from afar.

Yes, Really

Project Life, 2013: If making a cover page is this much fun and uses up this much of my stash, I am in! 

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: Pebbles, KI Memories, Echo Park, Studio Calico + Wood Embellishments: Studio Calico + Spray Ink: Studio Calico + Flair: Ormolu + Chipboard Hearts: Studio Calico + Banner Embellishment: Pebbles + Phrase Card: Pebbles + Fonts: Dock 11, TW Cen MT Condensed Extra Bold, Pacifico + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette

I tried last year and failed miserably after one week. I am sticking to it this year, though, I swear! I have a set Sunday morning time to work on it uninterrupted and have lots of stuff I need to use up, so here I go!

Top Ten of 2012

I can't remember how many years I've been doing this now, but close to the end of the year I do a post sharing my top ten layouts of the year. Here they are, in no particular order:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: Crate Paper + Wood Embellishments: Crate Paper + Ribbon: May Arts + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Fonts: Pacifico, AL Uncle Charles

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: October Afternoon + Wood Embellishments: Studio Calico + Letter Stickers: Jillibean Soup + Brad: October Afternoon + Die Cut: October Afternoon + Spray Inks: October Afternoon, Studio Calico + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette

Patterned Paper: Pebbles + Stickers: Pebbles + Phrase Card: Pebbles + Punches: Fiskars, The Paper Studio + Font: Typenoksidi

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: October Afternoon + Brad: October Afternoon + Chipboard: October Afternoon + Journaling Card: October Afternoon + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Fonts: Pacifico, AL Uncle Charles

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: Bella Blvd + Flag: Bella Blvd + Letter Stickers: Bella Blvd + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Font: Typenoksidi

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: Bella Blvd + Chipboard: Bella Blvd + Stickers: Bella Blvd + Twine: May Arts + Buttons: Bella Blvd + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Font: AL Uncle Charles

Patterned Paper: Studio Calico + Stickers: October Afternoon, American Crafts + Stamp: American Crafts + Ink: Staz-on (Tsukineko) + Fonts: Pacifico, Typenoksidi

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: October Afternoon + Flair October Afternoon + Stickers: October Afternoon + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Font: Typenoksidi

Patterned Paper: Crate Paper + Wood Embellishments: Studio Calico + Flair: October Afternoon, Ormolu + Washi Tape: October Afternoon + Paper Clips: Studio Calico + Foam Letter Stickers: American Crafts + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Font: AL Uncle Charles

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: October Afternoon + Flair: October Afternoon + Washi Tape: October Afternoon + Sticker: October Afternoon + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette + Fonts: Pacifico, Typenoksidi

Tell me which one is your favorite in the comments below! I would also love to see other people's top tens, so if you've done a similar post, please leave a comment linking me up.

Happy New Year!

Last-minute Christmas Ideas

I whipped up a couple of things for today's last-minute Christmas ideas feature at write.click.scrapbook. Here's the art - you'll have to check out the post at write.click.scrapbook. for the details (too busy watching "Love It Or List It" and baking cookies today to write a whole lot here! :)

Patterned Paper: Echo Park + Washi Tape: Bella Blvd, Freckled Fawn, My Mind's Eye + Holly Embellishments: American Crafts + Die Cutting Machine: Silhouette

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Washi Stickers: Crate Paper + Patterned Paper: Crate Paper + Punch: Fiskars

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Patterned Paper: Crate Paper + Washi Sticker: Crate Paper + Punch: Fiskars + Baker's Twine: Divine Twine

Patterned Paper: October Afternoon + Label Stickers: October Afternoon + Ribbon: May Arts

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics + Letter Stickers: American Crafts + Ribbon: May Arts

Unusual Pin-spiration for Christmas

Last week I whipped up a quick card for October Afternoon's Christmas message using this piece as my inspiration:

I pinned this image awhile back and loved the idea of the text-filled silhouettes against the solid background. I translated this idea to my card:

I used my Silhouette to cut a Christmas tree shape from the subway art text-print paper from the Make It Merry 8" X 8" paper pad:

and then cut apart the yellow text sticker from the Word Stickers sheet to form both the tree trunk and the label at the top of the card:

 
I added brad ornaments:

and a sentiment from the Little Flyers set:

When my tree was done, I stuck the two pieces of the yellow sticker to my black cardstock card base, added pop dots to the tree and adhered it to the card base, and I was done!

 

 

Recap of Mid-season Releases

With the winter Craft & Hobby Association trade show around the corner, I decided I would throw together a little recap of my favorites from the mid-season releases. In no particular order:

Crate Paper's Fourteen Collection

  
While I am not normally sucked in to Valentine's lines, they had me at the heart-shaped maps:

Echo Park's Photo Freedom Today's Story Collection

Love all the fun and colorful bits here, especially the maps and speech bubbles:

Studio Calico's Darling Dear Collection

My favorite piece from this line is the heart chipboard set:

 

Pebbles Family Ties Collection

 My favorite product from this line is the journaling and phrase cards book:

I've already seen some CHA sneaks starting and am bookmarking those to a Pinterest board. Stay tuned for my 3rd time around doing an armchair attendee week. I'll be blogging during CHA January 12-15 right here at Right Side Up. 

Check back here on Monday for some last-minute Christmas ideas!

Simple Packaging

This week is all about cards and gifts on the Pebbles blog. I used my Silhouette to create some fun embellishments to dress up packages wrapped in brown paper (cue "The Sound of Music"):

Christmas set:

Hanukkah set:

Be sure to check out the Pebbles blog all week this week for ideas!